Saeed Dezfouli

On 14/10/11 Dani, Rosie and Brett set out to the Forensic Hospital to celebrate Mental Health Month 2011, as invited by Justice Health on behalf of Saeed. Both Dani and Rosie received their invitations after the RSVP date and Brett never received his at all.

When Dani, Adriana and myself first arrived at the forensic hospital within the Long Bay Correctional facility we approached the security staff who seemed reasonably helpful as they cleared us through the initial security measures. We were asked to show photo identification, had our photo taken and had our fingerprints and retina scans taken. As we arrived early we had time to wait before going through to see Saeed and a security staff member even took us through to the staff-only area to get a coffee while we waited.

Report provided to mental health legal representative, who was told to wait three weeks to gain approval to visit:

“We've followed this up and contacted the Forensic Hospital.

The position is:

The 3 week period you mentioned can be substantially shortened if requested. In particular, anyone who has been permitted by DCS to visit a patient in the old prison hospital will automatically be permitted to visit the patient in the Forensic Hospital. Although it is not relevant to you because you have been previously approved, the sole criteria they use to assess whether someone should visit is whether the visit is 'in the clinical best interests of the patient'. To determine that, amongst other things they will ask the patient whether they want to see the visitor.

Visits take place from Monday to Sunday. Allotted times are:

9.30 - 10.30

11 - 12

1.30 - 2.30

3 -4

There are 5 wards and one person is permitted to visit in each ward during each allotment of time.

Once you are approved as a visitor you need to book a time the day before to enable the guards on the front gate to be aware of your intended visit;”

From April 2009 until September 13, 2011, several dozen citizens of good character including psychiatrists, lawyers and other people of goodwill were blocked access to visit and help Saeed Dezfouli after nine and a half years locked in a closed hospital. This is one of many issues dealt with by Saeed. An issue, which is so significant, that it was raised before the NSW supreme court. The Mental Health Review Tribunal was also asked to intervene. Nobody responded.

Migrated to Australia. Immediately began studying a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in political sciences.

1986

Saeed became a citizen of Australia, and began working as a court interpreter for the Ethnic Affairs Commission NSW,

2001

Throughout 2001, Saeed received death threats. Decided to take action, and thus warned authorities on his concerns prior to committing the crime. He was accused of setting fire to the foyer of the Community Relations Commission (formerly the Ethnic Affairs Commission) at Ashfield by using a container of petrol. He was taken to Burwood police station where he was insulted, assaulted and unlawfully interrogated by the NSW Police. He was subsequently charged with several offences.

“I am a patient with patients’ rights, an inmate with inmates’ rights and a human being with human rights. These rights have been fundamentally and severely violated by unprofessional and sadistic state government employees in the positions of psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses and prison officers. They are required to go by the law, regulations, policy and procedures, codes of conduct practice and ethics, but they don’t.”

- Saeed Dezfouli

INTRODUCTION

The NSW Health Department’s mental hospital is getting exposure through the window of patient Saeed Dezfouli. His case significantly highlights the issue with government bureaucracies dealing with challenging people at the individual level, lacking compassion, concern, or rational behaviour.

HISTORY

Saeed Dezfouli was born in Iran in 1958 and came to Australia in 1983. Upon arriving in Australia as a refugee, he earned a degree in Bachelor of Arts and majored in political sciences. In 1986 he became a citizen of Australia and was working as a court interpreter for the Ethnic Affairs Commission NSW. Throughout 2001, he became fearful of his life and safety and stated that he had been receiving death threats. He felt that he was constantly under surveillance. He said that he warned the authorities by sending them letters about his concerns for 5 months prior to the offence.

In February 2002 Saeed was transferred to Long Bay Prison Hospital and in 2004 he was found not guilty due to mental illness. Since that time he has been held indefinitely and subjected to continuous abuse. His mistreatment by the staff of Justice Health and the department of corrective services at Long Bay hospital can be seen through the following examples.

A number of times they kept Saeed naked in a solitary confinement cell for days to "break him down".

The first time, when they forced medication into him by injection they broke two of his ribs. The second time they left him bruised all over and in severe physical pain for days.

Twice they left him in a cell without toilet paper for four (4) days.

DCS Officers broke a number of his bones in LBH-1.

In January of 2005 Saeed got brutally assaulted by DCS Officers and as a result got a permanent back injury. Saeed was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital Emergency Room for the injuries inflicted upon him by DCS Officers.

Saeed now is suffering from heart condition, ulcers and diabetes as a result of the side effects of anti-psychotic medications combined with going through a daily oppressive and suppressive regimen.